Maintenance Directors oversee an organization’s maintenance department. To ensure that your maintenance department runs smoothly, you should attract and hire the best candidate for the company. Though writing the best Maintenance Director job description is the most crucial step in your hiring process, it’s nothing short of a challenge.
While most recruiters demand a skill set specific to their organization, job seekers find it difficult to understand what is expected of them, their duties and responsibilities. To bridge the gap between the two, it is important to familiarize yourself with the right Maintenance Director job description and what the role entails.
In this article, I'll walk you through a typical job description of a Maintenance Director, what they do, and what the prerequisites to qualify for the job are.
Let's take a look.
What Does a Maintenance Director Do? Typical Roles in Organizations
A Director of Maintenance is at the top of the chain of command in a maintenance team. Their key responsibilities include creating the overall strategy of an organization’s maintenance department, planning and supervising the maintenance staff, and defining their collaborative and individual goals.
Additionally, Maintenance Directors are responsible for creating and implementing policies that ensure the effectiveness of the maintenance department, while following all of the universal safety and health regulations.
Typically, the size of an organization determines who the maintenance directors will report to. Usually, it is the chief operations officer or the chief executive officer. Concerning their teams, they usually coordinate with maintenance supervisors, who then take measures to execute their plans and oversee the organization’s maintenance technicians.
Maintenance Director Job Description Template
The most important aspect of a perfect job description is its clear and proper sectioning.
First off, it should have a distinct section for a job summary, which briefly highlights the major duties and responsibilities of the job title, introduces how the organization works, and what its expectations are.
Prospective employees should be able to get a clear idea of what would be expected of them by just looking at the job posting.
A general example of a job briefing for a maintenance director (for an organization with several facilities) could look like this:
“We are searching for a full-time, qualified, and reliable Maintenance Director with at least seven years of experience in supervisory maintenance.
As a director of maintenance, you will be responsible for the timely planning, direction, participation, and supervision of both preventative and unplanned maintenance and repair activities for all facilities, which includes painting, plumbing, carpentry, HVAC, and electrical work. You will also be responsible for the supervision of the maintenance staff.
Furthermore, the ideal candidate should have some level of hands-on experience with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
You may apply if you have relevant experience in facilities maintenance or building maintenance, have outstanding technical, leadership, and interpersonal skills, and have a knack for resolving workplace issues.”
As mentioned earlier, it is advisable to add any company-specific requirements in the job summary since it will help prospective employees better understand your organization’s expectations.
Maintenance Director Job Description – Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of directors of maintenance can vary depending on the type of organization/industry they work in. This section comes just after the job summary and includes all the relevant aspects of the job title (even tasks that may not be needed in order to ensure a complete picture).
Regardless of everything, the typical duties and responsibilities of a maintenance director include:
- Plan and monitor roadmaps that help the maintenance department achieve its objectives (while aligning with the organization’s strategic goals).
- Ensure implementation of organization policies and procedures.
- Supervise responsibly, which entails scheduling, assigning, and directing work, and conducting performance appraisals of all maintenance personnel.
- Develop and implement maintenance programs to increase the efficiency of maintenance workers, maximize revenue, and improve customer satisfaction.
- Prioritize all health and safety regulations.
- Leverage CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) for preventive maintenance tasks and document instructions and procedures for the preventative maintenance of facility and utility components and office equipment, as well as, mechanical, air conditioning, heating, and electrical systems, etc.
- Maintain the organization’s customer service standards to manage and resolve customer service requests.
- Be directly involved with planning out the annual maintenance operating budget.
- Manage maintenance department expenditures within approved budget including the regulation of plant operations.
- Carry out and monitor routine inspections of company equipment.
- Assign and monitor construction and renovation projects.
- Negotiate, monitor, and enforce contract terms with external maintenance vendors and suppliers.
- Ensure the department’s compliance with the law and other regulatory terms such as safety and building codes.
- Supervise the hiring process of maintenance workers and define their job functions.
- Report to department heads, and coordinate with maintenance supervisors and maintenance technicians to make sure all maintenance processes are on track.
Again – the aforementioned duties and responsibilities are what the standard job description for a maintenance director would include. You should consider adding your special requirements in accordance with your organization’s needs.
Maintenance Director Job Description – Typical Qualifications
Apart from the duties and responsibilities, it is important to include the necessary qualifications needed to perform job functions. However, qualifications may vary depending on your organization and industry needs.
For instance, a steel mill will require a maintenance director who knows how to manage specific machinery used to melt, mold, and manage iron ore to craft steel.
However, the typical requirements (i.e. the prerequisites) for a maintenance director include the following:
- A high school diploma, or a bachelor’s degree in management sciences, engineering, business management, or any related field.
- Certification in maintenance management is preferred.
- At least five to seven years of experience as maintenance director or relevant experience performing the duties of Maintenance Technician Supervisor, Facilities Maintenance Manager, or other related jobs.
- A working understanding of CMMS software, electrical systems, HVAC systems, and various mechanical and architectural systems.
- Knowledge of purchasing, general maintenance tools, supplies and equipment, safety equipment, and the ability to train others in their appropriate use.
- A valid driver’s license is a must.
- Must be able to read blueprints in order to monitor the upkeep of electrical, HVAC, and other systems.
- Must always be available on calls in case of emergencies.
- Should possess knowledge of safety data sheets (SDS).
- Understands the occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) guidelines and other regulations.
In addition to the above, candidates should have some experience with recruitment, which entails interviewing, hiring, and training maintenance staff.
Maintenance Director Job Description – Typical Skills and Abilities
This section lists down the skills and abilities a maintenance director should have in order to effectively perform their job.
The following are the typical skills needed to become a good maintenance director.
- Outstanding management and communication skills are needed to ensure that the candidate can multitask and delegate work effectively.
- Ability to motivate the maintenance team to internalize the mission and vision of the organization.
- Exceptional management and team-building skills for handling and managing maintenance personnel.
- Outstanding planning skills to effectively prioritize maintenance tasks, activities, and programs, and set up workable maintenance schedules.
- Analytical skills are a must to ensure informed decisions regarding equipment needs, budget concerns, training needs, and hiring.
- A knack for problem-solving and carefully planning out frameworks to tackle emergencies.
- The ability to form and maintain good interpersonal relationships with all employees and other external parties.
- Must be highly skilled in computers, including database management, Microsoft Office, and various management software.
- Ample technical skills to run, operate, and assess technical aspects of machinery, equipment, and buildings.
- Depending on the organization’s location multilingualism can be valuable.
- Ability to lift and transport heavy equipment, conduct routine inspections, and have a hands-on approach to maintenance management.
- Interpreting and applying various laws, regulations, and rules is a must at a managerial position.
Remember – it’s unrealistic to demand prospective employees to have all the abilities mentioned above.
The best thing to do would be to prioritize the skills and vet candidates accordingly.
Becoming the Ideal Maintenance Director
Creating the perfect maintenance director job description is one of the many steps that can ensure that you end up with a successful hire.
It would leave very little room for any misinterpretations/misunderstanding, as you’d only be approached by candidates with relevant experiences and skillsets – helping you avoid misfits.
Since it can be hard to find someone with all the necessary skills, qualifications, and abilities to perform the job, your goal should be finding someone that fits best in your organization.
A wise choice would be hiring someone who has the relevant skills and experience needed to perform effective maintenance management.
Furthermore, to facilitate the employee, a detailed onboarding procedure can ensure they understand organization-specific expectations, duties, and responsibilities. If you’re having trouble, you should seek the help of professionals to assist you in formatting the perfect maintenance director job description or you can always sign up for an easy-to-use CMMS software.
Josh is a partner at Maintenance Manager HQ.
